Learn About Diskitis
Diskitis is swelling (inflammation) and irritation of the space between the bones of the spine (intervertebral disk space).
Disk inflammation
Diskitis is an uncommon condition. It is usually seen in children younger than 10 years and in adults around 50 years of age. Men are more often affected than women.
Diskitis can be caused by an infection due to bacteria or a virus. It can also be caused by inflammation, such as from autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks certain cells in the body.
Disks in the neck and low back are most commonly affected.
Symptoms may include any of the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Difficulty getting up and standing
- Fever (typically 102°F or 38.9°C or lower)
- Increased curvature of the back
- Irritability
- Neck pain
- Sweating at night
- Recent flu-like symptoms
- Refusal to sit up, stand, or walk (younger child)
- Stiffness in back
The goal is to treat the cause of the inflammation or infection and reduce pain. Treatment may involve any of the following:
- Antibiotics if there is an infection caused by bacteria
- Anti-inflammatory medicines if the cause is an autoimmune disease
- Pain medicines such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Bed rest or a brace to keep the back from moving
- Surgery if other methods don't work
Proliance Surgeons
Ari Holtzman, MD, is fellowship trained in spine surgery at University of Washington/Harborview Spine.He started his training in Orthopedic surgery in New York City at Montefiore Medical Center, the largest hospital in Bronx, NY. He completed his training at the Spine Fellowship at Harborview and the University of Washington, which focused on treating degenerative spine conditions, spinal trauma, and complex spine deformity.Dr. Holtzman is passionate about not only treating, but educating his patients about their conditions so that they can make the best decisions together as a team. His goal in his practice is to provide comprehensive and compassionate care to work with his patients to help them achieve their individual goals in treatment and recovery.Dr. Holtzman is a member of the North American Spine Society, AO North America, and has presented his research at national meetings, as well as published and peer-reviewed in scientific journals. He is an Upstate New York native who fell in love with the PNW during his fellowship and is now proud to call the region home. When not working, he can be found with his wife and four children, skiing, sailing, biking, hiking, and enjoying any other outdoor activities. Dr. Holtzman is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Diskitis. His top areas of expertise are Spinal Cord Abscess, Spondylolisthesis, Spinal Stenosis, and Scoliosis.
Ehab Shiban practices in Munich, Germany. Mr. Shiban is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Diskitis. His top areas of expertise are Diskitis, Epidural Abscess, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Spinal Fusion, and Craniectomy.
Florian Ringel practices in Munich, Germany. Mr. Ringel is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Diskitis. His top areas of expertise are Diskitis, Glioma, Gliomatosis Cerebri, Craniectomy, and Spinal Fusion.
Children with an infection should fully recover after treatment. In rare cases, chronic back pain persists.
In cases of autoimmune disease, the outcome depends on the underlying condition. These are often chronic illnesses that need long-term medical care.
Complications may include:
- Persistent back pain (rare)
- Side effects of medicines
- Worsening pain with numbness and weakness in your limbs
- Formation of abscess in or near the spine
Contact your provider if you or your child has back pain that does not go away, or problems with standing and walking that seem unusual for the child's age.
Summary: Initial oral antibiotic treatment for children and adolescents with uncomplicated bone and joint infections (BJI) has been found non-inferior to initial IV antibiotics in one randomized controlled trial (RCT). The real-world effectiveness of initial oral antibiotics for children and adolescents with BJI is unclear. This nationwide, prospective, multicenter, real-world cohort study aims to compare ...
Summary: Periprosthetic Joint infections (PJI) and spondylodiscitis are considered some of the most costly infectious diseases because require at least one surgery, prolonged hospitalisation, rehabilitation care, prolonged antibiotherapy, and extended absence from work in working-age patients. Ortho-PoC will face this issue with a smart and highly innovative diagnostic tool, starting from the point-of-care...
Published Date: August 27, 2024
Published By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Mathew R, Hong DK. Diskitis. In: Long SS, eds. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 77.
Williams KD. Infections and tumors of the spine. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 42.